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September 2019 Moms
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Product Spotlight: Breast Pumps

bubsaliciousbubsalicious member
in September 2019 Moms
A day late, but oh well. Let's talk boobs!

S(+)TMs: Give us the pros and cons of what you have, or ask about what you want. What brand(s) have you used? Which one is best and why? Are you dreaming of any that are on the market now? Battery powered or outlet? Open or closed system? What are the best accessories? How did you go about getting one through your insurance?

FTMs: Ask away!

Spreadsheet (which may not be updated because do I really know what I'm doing?):
https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/12W-wdzJDfeyz4DBXRWUkr2b4PPkpHQ7G_RiVLWTaHCo/edit#gid=0
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Re: Product Spotlight: Breast Pumps

  • septoctkidsseptoctkids member
    I used the medela with my first but I’m going to get the spectra s1 this time around. I got a decent amount out with medela but figured it would be nice to try something different. It’s been recomended by so many people. They had nothing but good things to say about it. The spectra s1 also has a built in battery which is great! 
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  • kraanekraane member
    Looking forward to this thread. I only nursed my first. I was anxious that she wouldn’t be able to transition back and forth so I didn’t want to do bottle feeding. I had a manual one but I think I only filled 5 bottles total as LO refused to take one. 
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  • septoctkidsseptoctkids member
    edited March 2019
    @kraane my son never took a bottle but I still pumped. I have a huge supply in my freezer that is going to waste because he never would drink it out of a bottle. So sad seeing liquid gold go to waste. 😭 With this baby I am hoping she will take a bottle of pumped milk so my husband can help out with night feeds haha
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  • kraanekraane member
    @septoctkids oh no that is tragic. I have read that you can donate it to moms/babies that are struggling with supply. It might be a bit weird but then at least it’s not being wasted. 
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  • septoctkidsseptoctkids member
    @kraane I’ve looked into that. The place that takes donations is pretty particular in marking exact dates/ times etc. I know there is an fb group that women donate to one another but I was afraid of liability things with it. For example if I ate something that was an allergen to someone I donated it to etc. Made me nervous. A couple of my friends have done it though and the women are so appreciative. So nice of women to do that. 
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  • bubsaliciousbubsalicious member
    @septoctkids I milk shared locally, and I totally understand your fear. One thing you always want to post with your ad is if you have any special diets. I never did, and actually one baby that took it ended up being lactose intolerant. The mom didn't blame me and just passed it along, and actually asked for more when her daughter was closer to one and had possibly outgrown it. This time around I plan on being prepared with a mill bank, but will still donate locally.

    I used the Spectra S2, which doesn't have the battery pack, because it was a closed system. I got it through insurance using Aeroflow pumps, and it was super easy. I filled out the form on their website, and they contacted me after they knew what I could have. I also had a Sarah Wells Lizzy bag that it fit perfectly in barely. It is quite hard to find a bag for the Spectra because it's so large. I kind of want to buy one of Etsy, but they are so expensive! If you get a Spectra, you can buy Medela bottle adapters, and I highly recommend it! Medela bottles are so much readily available than Spectra!
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  • mommyshark13mommyshark13 member
    I'm undecided if I want to try BF. It didn't work out with DS for numerous reasons and i did not attempt with DD. I'm 95% sure this is the last baby so part of me wants to try again. 

    I am curious about the haakaa. Has anyone had any experience? I'm a sahm so I feel like it is a good option. I will never ever use an electric pump again (not trying to discourage others, just my own personal experience) so that's why this one appeals to me.
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  • kiddiesandkittieskiddiesandkitties member
    @mommyshark13 I have gotten soo many great reviews from family on it. I had one in my mailbox last time when we had our most recent loss so I had my mom pick it up and mail it back, but now I wish I kept it! I’ll definitrly be getting one. I wouldn’t use it as a replacement for a pump but is supposed to be AWESOME to catch the ‘other side’ while baby is nursing and allow you to build a little freezer stock without much added hassle. 
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  • mommyshark13mommyshark13 member
    @kiddiesandkitties That's what I have heard too. And since I stay at home I don't see why that wouldn't suffice. 
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  • lillywonderlandlillywonderland member
    @mommyshark13 I have the haaka. I used it for MOTN feedings when DS would only eat from one boob and fall asleep after. My other boob would feel so huge so I needed something to ease the edge off and I didn’t want to pump in the middle of the night. I liked it for that. It’s also pretty cheap. 
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  • bubsaliciousbubsalicious member
    @mommyshark13 I totally forgot out the haaka! It was awesome. I used it while nursing DS, especially in the beginning when engorgement was horrible, but I didn't want to pump and make an huge over supply.
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  • ternsetcternsetc member
    @mommyshark13 glad you mentioned the haakaa! Really wish I'd gotten one and tried it with DS, and so glad to read the experiences with it here. Will get one this time. I'm wary of another electric pump and am a sahm, so figure I might be able to get away with something like this instead.
    Will strongly agree with @sunshine2417 that the flange size is really important - I figured I would be fine with whatever came standard with the pump (not true) so that took a few tries and some pain and frustration to sort out.
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  • mommyshark13mommyshark13 member
    @lillywonderland @bubsalicious @ternsetc

    Thank you so much for the feedback! I know it has awesome reviews on Target. Maybe a little later on we can have a post discussing BF. I am so on the fence. I really want to retake the breastfeeding class here but there's only one and it's led by the LC I had issues with at the hospital when DS was born so...
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  • sloopy02sloopy02 member
    I had a medela with my daughter but would be open to try something new this time, but whatever my insurance covers will be it! I could hardly get any milk pumping last time and i dont know if it was the pump, me or user error.
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  • navyblueladybugnavyblueladybug member
    Lurking from June19... I found a chart online with a quick Google search that said what bottles fit on which pumps, which had adapters you needed and which didn’t fit at all/didn’t have an adapter. The Avent bottles fit right on the Spectra 2! I had planned on that pump and those bottles anyway so it’s great they just fit, no adapter needed. Also, check YouTube on videos about the best way to get the Haakaa to stay on better. If you squeeze the bottle and pull the flange all the way back before you attach it you will get a much better suction and it’s less likely to fall off if the baby kicks it or you bump it. 
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  • monkeysmom80monkeysmom80 member
    I had the medela with my first two, that was before insurance covered it.  This time I will get what insurance covers.  But my medela got me through 2 babies working fulltime and my son wouldn't latch for the first 2.5 months so I was EPing that whole time.  
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  • bostonlady-2bostonlady-2 member
    @mommyshark13 the haaka was a life saver for me. I didn't start using it until about 6 weeks after DS was born, but it's the main reason I had a supply of BM before going to work. I'd consistently get 2-3 ounces when DS was feeding on the other side, versus the electric pump which I started when he was about 8 weeks old. I would agonize and pump and pump and pump... all to get maybe an ounce between his feeds.

    My experience with pumping was quite poor. While DS was a great breast feeder, I just never got much milk while pumping. I had a Spectra S1 which was small and quiet. I used a medela hospital grade pump at work, and I got the same amount of milk from both the spectra and medela, which was typically about 1.5 to 2 ounces on each side. I also tried two different manual pumps which hurt and would typically get 1-1.5 ounces. 

    This time, I'm going to start using the haaka immediately and start pumping early. I was counseled by lactation to not start pumping "too early" because of oversupply issues, but I only have 12 weeks of leave and making a supply of breast milk was not easy for me starting so late. I'm sure oversupply sucks, but so does getting up at 3 AM to pump and counting literally every half ounce to try and make enough for the next day. It's worth considering this stress for other moms who know they have to go back to work.

    I may try the Willow, as leaving work every 3 hours to pump for 30 minutes was extremely disruptive. I wish it was a little cheaper, but I'm going to keep doing research and decide if it's worth the investment. 


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  • monkeysmom80monkeysmom80 member
    I had a serious over supply with both kids.  It's not so bad and I really liked having the freezer full.  I got pregnant with my daughter when ds was 6 months and I dried up pretty quick.  I was able to give him breast milk until he was 14 months because of the over supply.  
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  • kiddiesandkittieskiddiesandkitties member
    @bostonlady-2 I've been curious about the Willow as well.  Are the reviews good?
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  • MsBeachNJMsBeachNJ member
    @bostonlady-2 I am really interested in the Willow as well! The major con I've seen is that the bags are expensive (I think like .50 per bag?) but if I can wear it at work and pump discretely, it may be worth it to me. 

    I successfully used the Medela with my first daughter but I didn't listen to anyone telling me to be careful of oversupply and I started pumping at like 1 week post-partum. I wanted my husband to be able to bond with our daughter by feeding her and I wanted to introduce a bottle early as I knew that I couldn't EBF when I went back to work. I liked the Medela and I have all the supplies and bottles for it, so I will likely use it again, though a battery operated one or a hands free option like the Willow is really appealing to me. 
    TTM - EDD 4/23 - Team Green <3 
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  • mamaber2204mamaber2204 member
    I used a Medela and a Spectra for DS.  I liked the feel of the Spectra MUCH more than the Medela.  The Medela was fine, but the Spectra actually felt soothing instead of slightly jarring.  By the end of my pumping at work days I switched to the Medela hand pump, though.  It was just so much easier to set up, tear down and clean than the electric pump.  I did lose the ability to type while pumping, but I just printed docs to read/review while I was pumping.  
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  • eller-2eller-2 member
    I used a Spectra S2 and a rented Medela Symphony when pumping for DS.  I liked both pumps, but unfortunately I did not respond too well to pumping - when exclusively pumping for my son's first few months, I got 24-30 oz of milk a day but had trouble emptying my breasts and got clogged easily.  (I also had frequent nipple injuries - probably user error due to too much pumping/too many power hour pumps.)  And then I gave pumping a good attempt when I returned to work, but my supply suffered pretty quickly.  I also had to pump for a long time to get 2-3 ounces once back at work - like 30+ minutes of total pumping with 10 minute breaks every 10 minutes or so.

    I threw in the towel on pumping when DS was 9 months old, and on morning/evening nursing a few weeks later when DS seemed unwilling to nurse for the little milk left.  We worked pretty hard to make nursing work, and I was bummed that pumping at work + morning/evening nursing did not work out very well for us.  

    After that long backstory, my question: anyone have a suggestion for which pump I should try this time around?  I have relatively flat nipples and large breasts, if that's relevant.  I liked the Medela Symphony for its gentleness (especially when injured), but I didn't really get any more milk using the hospital grade pump than using my portable Spectra.  I'd love to think there's a pump out there that would work better for me, but that is probably wishful thinking...
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  • bubsaliciousbubsalicious member
    @eller-2 did you try different settings or flanges sizes? When I had nipple irritation, I had trouble emptying but for some reason smaller flanges and a litter setting helped. If I didn't have irritation they wanted larger flanges and all the power. After a year of pumping, I'm still not sure if I was doing it completely right, but I feel like a good first step is a pump you are comfortable with like the Symphony. What happened when you started back at work sounds like you were uncomfortable and stressed.
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  • eller-2eller-2 member
    Thanks, @bubsalicious.  I did try different settings and flange sizes, but maybe not as effectively as I should have.  I also had a lactation consultant give me some advice (including to go up in flange size, although that only ended up helping on one side).  I could probably spend more time experimenting this time around - I certainly have enough flange options!  Mostly I'm hoping to not "have to" exclusively pump (or triple feed for too long) in the early weeks with this baby - it was pretty all-consuming, and I am not sure how that would work when another child will need my attention!  
    <img
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  • TeacherMama7TeacherMama7 member
    I used the medela with first son, and then mostly th Haakaa w my second son. I used my medela twice. I would put the Haakaa on the other side and collect 4 oz every time o nursed! I had enough for date nights and random times when we needed to use a bottle. After six months, my supply of wd totally regulated and Haakaa wasn’t as successful, so I would just use formula for the random times I wasn’t with baby. It worked perfectly and didn’t effect my supply at all! I nursed him for 15 months. 
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  • cheshyre319cheshyre319 member
    FTM, totally in the dark on BF and pumping. Are electric pumps noisy? What is a Haakaa? How important is portability? 

    (Trying to bump a few threads up the board to help neaten things up a bit)
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  • kiddiesandkittieskiddiesandkitties member
    @cheshyre319 the Haakaa is a little plastic ‘pump’ that you just squeeze to suction, so when you’re BFing you stick it onto whichever side you’re not feeding baby from and then it capitalizes on the letdown and catches supposedly a pretty decent amount to collect some freezer stash for a night out etc. 

    I don’t find electric pumps terribly noisy, but yes, you’d know if someone in the stall next to you were pumping 😉. They make a dull wee-ooo sound - and every pump is slightly different. Over time you’ll find yourself thinking it sounds like a variety of words and repeating them overandoverandover in your head while pumping. Pretty much all brands have a carry bag and portability supplies that make them convenient enough to lug around to and from work/wherever. But yes, you’ll be toting around an extra bag plus a cooler bag. Very curious about those Willow pumps, though. A pumping bra is also key!! 
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  • sahm89sahm89 member
    @kiddiesandkitties I totally laughed out loud when you said over time the pump sounds like words! “And one and two and one and two” was mine for the letdown rhythm 😆

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  • lillywonderlandlillywonderland member
    @kiddiesandkitties WEE-OOO!!! 🤣😂🤣
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  • septoctkidsseptoctkids member
    edited March 2019
    @sahm89 @lillywonderland @kiddiesandkitties omg the pumping noises 😂😂 so true! 
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  • rms924rms924 member
    I can still hear that sound one year after giving up breastfeeding.

    I’ve used spectra w ds2 and I rented a hospital grade symphony w ds1. My problem has been supply.  I start building a stash pretty early on, I’ve done all the supplements, diff size phalanges etc. I think it’s just my body. I think the spectra was pretty solid without shelling out more money for a rental.  

    Me: 34 DH:38
    DS: 18 months   <3
    Dx DOR AMH .2
    <a href="http://www.thebump.com/?utm_source=ticker&utm_medium=HTML&utm_campaign=tickers" title="Pregnancy"><img 
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  • kgg2241kgg2241 member
    Reviving this thread. I am having so much anxiety about breastfeeding and pumping while working. I guess I just can't wrap my mind around how I'll do it. Can other working mom's go over their typical schedule? Like you wake up and bf, then pump when? I might be over thinking it... 
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  • kgg2241kgg2241 member
    @lillywonderland Thank you!! That was super helpful to read through.
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  • monkeysmom80monkeysmom80 member
    edited June 2019
    I would pump every 3 hrs.  So around 6:30 feed baby, and pump right after, then every 3 hours from there and feed right when I got home form work. The pumping after my morning feed is how I think I was able to maintain a good supply.

    ETA: I did a dream feed to when I went to bed.  So my babies were almost always asleep between 7 and 8.  I would feed them around 10ish when I was getting ready to lay down and I Think that helped stretch out how long the slept without waking at nigh.
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  • kgg2241kgg2241 member
    @monkeysmom80 thank you. I that is helpful. I think how how many hours between feeds has been stressing me out. I just had/have no idea how often I would need to to.keep supply up. 
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  • monkeysmom80monkeysmom80 member
    @kgg2241 I think you should aim to pump about as often as baby would eat.  Especially early on until you establish a good relationship with the pump. It's easy to let it get to long between when at work but I make it a priority.  And by the time we go back to work, baby generally eating at good intervals.
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  • pj_soccerpj_soccer member
    Did everyone's work provide a private and quiet place for you to pump?
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  • lillywonderlandlillywonderland member
    @kgg2241 In all honesty, my supply tanked after I was back at work full time for a month or so. The pump just isn’t as effective as removing milk from your boobies as your baby will be. And that’s completely normal!!

    @pj_soccer We have a dedicated lactation room, but we are on the larger size for a company/site. I think it’s required if your company employs more than like 30 people to give you time and a private space (that’s not a bathroom!) to pump.
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